Electric switch for street arc-lamps, &amp;c.



No. 810,357. EATENTED JAN. 16, 190e.

E. H. E. SPTES. EEEGTETG SWTTGE EOE STREET AEG LAMES, Ew.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10, 1905.

By m@ ArroH/vfys UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

PETER HEINRICH FELIX SPIES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-THIRD TO DAVID E. AARONS, ONE- THIRD TO LEROY M. HANLON, AND ONE-THIRD TO IVILLIAM T. LAM- BERT, ALL OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1906.

Application filed February 10, 1905. Serial No. 245,047.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER HEINRICH FELIx SPIEs, a subject of the German Emperor, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Electric Switch for Street Arc-Lamps, Ohandeliers, and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved electric switch more especially designed for street arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like and arranged to keep the main-line circuit completely uninterrupted whenever the lamp is cut out or lowered for the insertion of new carbons or for repairs or for other purposes, the lamp on being returned to its normal position being immediately and automatically cut in without interruption of the main-line circuit.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims. n

A practical embodiment of the invention 1s represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, 1n which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line l l of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 2 2 of Eig. 1.

The hanger or casing for the electric-arc lamp is made in two parts A and B, of which the upper part A is suspended on a post, bracket, high ceiling, or other support and the lower part B carries the lamp and is raised or lowered by the usual rope or cable C under the control of the operator employed for changing the carbons or for making repairs and the like.

In the upper or fixed part A of the hanger is secured a switch-block D, of hard rubber or other suitable insulating material, and on this switch-block D are secured sets of contacts E E, connected with line-wires E, the contacts E E being preferably in the shape of sets of contact-plates having downward and upward extensions E and E2, projecting beyond the bottom and top of the block D. The projecting ends E of the contact-plates E are adapted to be engaged by contacts G G in the form of pins and connected with the wires I-I of the circuit ofthe lamp hung on the hanger part B, the said contact-pins G being fastened in a block I, made of an insulating material and secured by suitable brackets I to the hanger part B, -so that the block I and its contact-pins G move with the lamp.

The upper ends E2 of the contacts E E are adapted to be engaged by auxiliary contacts K in the form of pins, connected with each other by a wire L and secured in a block N, made of insulating material, and provided with guide-pins N, sliding in suitable bearings arranged in the contact-block D and adapted to rest at their lower ends on the upper surface of the block I, fixed in the hanger part B. The block N, carrying the auxiliary contact-pins K, is pressed on in a downward direction by springs O, held in lugs A on the hanger part A. The arrangement is such that when the part B is in a closed position,

.as illustrated in the drawings, then the contact-pins G are in engagement with the depending ends E of the contacts E, so that the line-wires F are connected with the lamp- Wires H to allow the current to flow through the lamp. When the block I is in this uppermost position, it holds the block N raised against the tension of its springs O, so that the auxiliary contact-pins K are out of engagement with the upper ends E2 of the contacts E.

When the operator lowers the hanger part B and the lamp hung thereon by manipulating the rope or cable C correspondingly, then the block I, and with it the contact-pins G, move out of engagement with the depending ends E of the contacts E but during this downward movement ofthe block I the block N is forced in a like direction by the action of its springs O, so that the auxiliary contactpins K move in engagement with the upper ends E2 of the contacts Eprevous to the auxiliary contact-pins G leaving the lower ends El of the contacts E. Thus before the connection between the line-wires F and the lamp-wires H is broken the line-wires E are connected with each other by way of the ends E2 of the contacts E, the auxiliary pins K, and the connecting-wire L. When the hanger part B is again raised to its normal IOO position, then the contact-pins G move in engagement with the depending ends E of the contacts E, and at the same time the block I by acting on the pins N lifts the block N, so that the auxiliary contact-pins K move out ol engagement with the upper ends E2 of the contacts E after the contact -pins G have made contact with the depending ends E ol: the contacts E. Thus before the connection of the line-wires F is broken by way of the auxiliary contact-pins K and their connectingwire L the lamp-wires Il are connected with the line-wires, so that the main-line current remains completely uninterrupted,whether the lamp is in a raised normal position or is lowered for exchange of carbons, repairs, or other purposes.

It will further be seen that by the arrangement described the current is completely cut oii lfrom the lamp while the latter is in a lowermost position, so that the operator can handle the lamp with the greatest safetythat is, without danger of receiving a shock from the electric current.

The device is very simple and durable in construction and is composed of comparatively few parts not liable to easily get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcntl. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like, comprising fixed linecontacts connected with the line, a block moving with the lamp and carrying lampcontacts connected with the lamp-circuit, and adapted to engage the lower ends of the linecontacts, and a movable block carrying auxiliary contacts, electrically connected with each other, the said block being controlled by the movement of the block carrying` the lampcontacts, the said lauxiliary contacts being adapted to engage the upper ends ofthe linecontacts.

2. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like, comprising axed block, sets of contacts secured on said block and connected with the line, the contacts projecting beyond the bottom and top of the block, a block movable with the lamp and carrying lamp-contacts connected with the lamp-circuit and adapted to engage the lower projecting ends of said line-contacts, and a movable block carrying auxiliary contacts7 adapted to f engage the upper ends of said line-contacts, the movement of said block carrying the auxiliary contacts being controlled by the block carrying the lamp-contacts, the said auxiliary contacts being normally out of engagement with the line-contacts.

3. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like, comprising a iixed block, sets of contacts secured on said block and connected with the line, the contacts projecting beyond the bottom and top of the block, a

block moving with the lamp and carrying contacts connected with the lamp-circuits and adapted to engage the lower projecting ends ol the said line-contacts, a block having guided movement and controlled by the movement of the block carrying the lampcontacts, the said block carrying auxiliary contacts adapted to engage the upper projecting ends of said line-contacts, the auxiliary contacts moving in contact with. the line-contacts immediately previous to the lamp-contacts moving out of engagement with the line-contacts.

4. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like, comprising a fixed block of insulating material, sets of contact-plates secured on said block and connected with the line, the contact-plates projecting beyond the bottom and top of the block, ablock oliinsnlating material moving with the lamp and carrying contact-pins connected with the lamp-circuit, and adapted to engage the lower projecting ends oi said line-contact plates, a block of insulating material provided with guide-pins arranged to slide in bearings in the said iixed block and adapted to rest on the upper surface oi the block carrying the lampcontact pins, the said block carrying auxiliary contact-pins electrically connected and adapted to engage the upper projecting ends oi said line-contact plates, the movement of the block carrying the auxiliary contact-pins being controlled by the movement ol the block carrying the lamp-contact pins, the said auxiliary contact-pins moving in contact with the line-contact plates immediately previous to the lamp-contact pins moving out of engagement with the line-contact plates, and the said auxiliary contact-pins being moved out of engagement with the line-contact plates after the lamp-contact pins have moved in engagement with the line-contact plates.

5. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers and the like, comprising a hanger made in two parts, of' which one is lixed and the other movable toward and from the iixed hanger part, the movable hanger part carrying the lamp, double line-contacts iixed in the said iixed hanger part and connected with the line, a spring-pressed block carrying auxiliary contacts for engaging the line-contacts at one side, and a block ixed in the movable hanger part and carrying the lamp-contacts connected with the lamp-circuit, the said lamp-contact block engaging the said springpressed block, to move the latter against the tension of its springs.

6. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers and the like, comprising a hanger made in two parts, of which one 1s iixed and the other movable toward and from the iixed hanger part, the movable hanger part carrying the lamp, double line-contacts iixed in the said fixed hanger part and connected with IOO the line, a spring-pressed block carrying auX- iliary contacts for engaging the line-contacts at one side, the said block having guide-pins slidable in bearings on the said hanger part, and a block fixed in the movable hanger part and carrying the lamp-contacts connected with the lampecircuit, the said lamp-contact block being adapted to engage the said guidepins, to move the spring-pressed block against the tension of its springs.

7. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like, comprising liXed linecontacts consisting of sets of contact-plates connected with the line, contact-pins moving with the lamp and connected with the lampcircuit, the said contact-pins being adapted to engage the line-contact plates, and auxiliary contact-pins controlled by the movement of the lamp-contacts and adapted to engage the said line-contact plates.

8. An electric switch for arc-lamps, chandeliers, and the like, comprising a hanger made in two parts, one part being fixed and the other movable toward and from the iiXed part, the movable hanger part carrying the lamp, a block secured to the upper or iixed part of the hanger7 sets of contact-plates secured at each end of said block and having their ends projecting respectively beyond the bottom and top of the block, the said contactplates being connected with the line-wires, a block secured to the movable hanger part, contact-pins carried by said block and connected with the lamp-circuit, the said contact-pins being adapted to contact with the lower ends of said line-contact plates when the movable hanger part is in raised or normal position, and a spring-pressed block carrying contact-pins electrically connected with each other and adapted to contact with the upper ends of said contact-plates when the movable hanger part is in the lowered position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to V.this speciiication in the presence oi two subscribing witnesses.

PETER HEINRICH FELIX SPIES.

Witnesses:

H. C. WEsTLAKE, W. T. LAMBERT. 

